Contour cutting machine



Feb. -8, 1944. N. s. BALLARD. SR Y 2,341,201

'coNToUR CUTTING MAcHlNE Filed oct. 24, 1941 s sheets-sheet 1 l 70 8o 3 v 75' 7g j Juuenlon Feb. 8, 1944.

N. s. BALLARD, sR 2,341,201 coNTo'UR CUTTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 24, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Stag-.5.

Il I l Feb. 8, 1944. vM s, BALLARD, SR 2,341,201

coNToUR CUTTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 24, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 8, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,341,201 o oN'roUnvoUT'rING MACHINE` Norman Spencer Ballard, Sr., Los Angeles, Calif.

.Application October 24, 1941, Serial.No.-416,385

Y Claims.

My invention relates "to that `class ofmachines `which .are used for Icutting the peripheral `con-- tours of glass lenses or other .glass .articleshav- -ing a symmetrical or unsymmetrical shape. The machines heretofore devised Vfor .this purpose 'have been very` :complicated and .consequently .a machine in which the work or lens is-isecured -by suction means to arotating drum andy is acted upon by acutting member which isactuated by a cam` or pattern, and provided'withfmeansfor varying the sizeof the contour Vtracedfby :the cutter, at the same time maintainingaparallelism between these lines or curves and Ythosefof `Athe pattern. A further purpose iszto provide means for vmaking angular adjustments of 'the pattern in co-relation with thelens holder. .Another Apurpose is to providemeans for manually vfad-- justing the cutter `and `the cutter arm in the' -proper position'normal to thefsurface vof the work,

together with Ameansffor limiting .the angular movement of the cutter in its eccentric relation to the swivel and the cutter arm.

An important feature .is the lens'or -workrhold- :er consisting of a lresilient 'rotating `diaphragm 4on which the work rests'and :is .secured byl azsuction produced by depressing'the central .portion `of the diaphragm together-with means forlocklng the said diaphragm in its depressed position.

vr`I illustrate my invention by theaccompanying `drawings in which Figure l'is a'sectional View 4taken on the line I-I. of Figure 2. Figure. 2 :is a lplanview of the machine.

Figure 3 is` a vertical central section vthrough the lens `holding drum,'also showing in dot-dash lines the locking lever in its lockedposition. :Figure4 is-a side elevation of the lens holdingdrumand showing par- `ticularly how the locking lever operates. Figure 5 is an invertedvplan view showing the driving `mechanism and the compensatingv levers 'and opinions. Figure 6'is a detailed View, partlyin Isection, showing the cutter arm,the cutter swivel and the cutters themselves, all of whichare in fthe open position. This viewalso illustrates `the spring by whichthe cutter arm-willassume-one of two positions-.either open with the cutters lifted above the work or closed when the cutters llare engaging. the work. :Similar numeralsfrefer to 'similar parts in the several views.

sus

fgear 21 and a bar 28. mounted the bar` 29. Ais a stud on'whichis revolvablymounted .the .pinion-3l; the distance between the stud I5 and the stud` 30 is such'that the pinion 3| is always in The vconstruction of .mydevice is `as `follows: lll is a frame-.plate on which are mounted the 'various mechanisms las ,hereinafter described.

Journaled in theiframe-plate i0 is-,a vstud Il havl'ingsecured to itslower end nthe primary driving gear l2. Secured to the upper end of -thestud H is a crankhandle li3-by means of which the entire-mechanism is operated. The upper endof the stud l lis spaced-to a convenient heightabove the `frame-plate I0 by .means of Va kspacer ,sleeve I4. Also revolvably mounted on the stud #5,

which is in-turn secured to the frame-plate ID,

isagear I6, this gear being in vmesh with-the gear l2. Securedto the upper-surface of the Agear I6 by the screws v"Il is Aa socket ..18 Vadapted :to receive a pattern-holderplug i9, this .socket bbeing 'held 1in-position by the screws 20. ,By

loosening the screws20 the-plug 1:9 and they` pat- :tern 22 vcan be `adjusted into correct alignment. "the upper surface-of thepattern-holderi9 `are means'for locating and holding the pattern 22. in position.

Various means for holdingthe pattern 22 may be used. .In the iormf-shown inFigures 1 .an-d .2 two pins `2| are located inthe top of the holderlS and are adapted to engage corresponding holes vin the pattern 22. `22 is preferably of hard metal, cut tothe shape of -The,periphery of the pattern the lenses 23 to be cut. Through the framefplate I0 is a slot 25 in which is slidably `mountedastud 26, and revolvably mounted on this stud 2.6.is-ga On the stud |.5.is pivotally Also-located on .the bar :2,9

mesh with the gear I6. Likewise, the distance between the stud.26 and the stud 32 is such that vthe pinion 33 and the gear 21 are always in mesh. The stud 26 as it .moves in the slot,2,5 is actuated by the .spring 34 toward the ygear I6, the pinion 33 remaining in mesh with thegear 21. .In order to keep the two pinions '3| and 33 in mesh the studs 32 and 3|) are linked together by the bar 38, the same being mounted onthe said studs 32 and 3U. The stud 26, 4as it moves y .in the slot 25, is actuated'by the spring 34 toward the gear I 6, the pinion 33 remaining inmesh with v.the gearZl. YInorder to synchronize therotation of the gears 21 and I6 the 'bar'38 should have its center line parallel with a centerline through the studs 26 and I5. This isaccomplished by a .pin 35 mounted onjthelbar'29, adapted to engage a slot 36in the. bar. 28, the shapeoffthe slot 36 being determinedby the'movement *of* thewbars 28 and '29. The spring 31 between the frameplate I and the bar 29 provides a tension on the pinions 3| and 33. This condition remains lconstant regardless of the movement of the stud 26. This mechanism permits of varying the size of the lens contour and at the same time maintaining the contour in complete parallelism with that of the pattern. It also serves to keep the angular advance of the gears I6 and 21 equal although rotating in opposite directions.r Securedto ythe gear 21 byfmeans of thescrews 4|) is a lens-holding drum 4I provided with a cover plate 42. In the upper side of the cover plate 42 is an annular groove or depression 43. The suction type lens holder 39 is preferably made of rubber and consists of a disc having a downwardly projecting annular rib 44 which is adapted to rest in the cover plate groove 43. This annular rib 44 serves as a guide when the suction is applied. Centrally located and molded in the under side of the disc 39 is a slotted depression member 45. Inserted in the slot 46 and pivotally mounted on -the pin 41 is a lever 48 having its inner end hingedly mounted in the wall of the drum 4| yas at 49, and having its outer end 59 projecting as shown in Figure 3. The insertion of the sleeve 4 5| into the opening 53 locks the lens holder in its suction position. Means are provided for varying the distance between the center of the pattern holder I9 and the center of the lensholder 39 whereby adjustment-can be made for the purpose of changing the size of thelens 23 and at the same time maintaining perfect parallelism between the periphery of the pattern 22 i and the periphery of the lens 23. This is accomplished by a shaft 54 threaded through the lower portion of the stud 26, passing through the slot -25, also threaded through the frame side-wall 55, and secured to the adjustment knob 56. By turning the knob 56 the lens holding drum 4| is moved laterally, and the degree of movement is indicated by the calibrations engravedY on the knob.

The tracer arm is mounted on asupporting Vshaft 16 and is fitted with an adjustable pattern btracer 11 comprising a screw 16, a ball bearing 19 provided for the purpose of minimizing the wear of the pattern tracer 11 as it contacts the pattern 22. The tracer arm 15 is provided with an extension 60 located adjacent to and underneath the crank I3. The extension 6I) is for the purpose ofswinging the ball bearing 19 away from the pattern 22 when changes in said pattern have to be made. The tracer arm 15 is held normally against the pattern 22 by means of 'the spring 62. The portion 61 of the tracer arm 15 extending beyond the shaft 16 has revolvably mounted therein a shaft 63 provided with a spring 64 and nut 68, the other end 65 vofthe said shaft 63 being provided with a handle 66 adapted to rotate said shaft end65 and to also serve as a hinge pin for the cutting arm 10. end of the cutting arm 19 is hingedly mounted on the shaft 63 within a slot 1|.

One

Located at a point on the cutting arm 10 which vis adapted to be brought over the lens23`is', re-:

volvably mounted a shaft 14 held in place by the set screw and collar 82. Projecting from the collar 82 is a pin 83 which is limited to a partial revolution by the two stop-pins 84. This prevents the cutter from becoming reversed. At the lower end of the shaft 14 is a cutter holder 85 which is revolvably mounted on the shaft 86. The center line of the cutter holder 85 has its axis offset from the axis of the shaft 14. This offset is for the purpose ofk obtaining a ,castor-type trailing movement. A light spring 81 is provided snap spring 89 is adapted to hold the cutter arm 18 normally in its upright position as shown in Figure 1. The purpose of holding the cutter arm A1I'I normally in its upward position is to facilitate the placing and removal of the lens 23. Lenses with separate or extreme contours are compensated by the application of shims 12 which are U-shaped in form and which when inserted under the lens holder 39, as shown in Figure 3, tend to adapt the holder to the separate curves of the lenses 23. The purpose of having the cutter arm 1D rotatablyY mounted on the shaft 63 is to provide a means whereby the cutters 88 can be set perpendicularly to the glass to be cut. If desired, the shaft extension 65 may be provided with gauge marks 99 to show the number of degrees of rotation plus or minus a vertical position of the cutters 88. Y

The operation of my device is as follows: A pattern 22, preferably of metal, having its periphery cut to the form desired is placed over a pattern holder I9, being located thereon by two dowel pins 2| or other suitable means of loca.-.

tion and attachment. The screws 20 are loosened and the plug I9 and pattern 22 are set in such a manner that the pattern axis is inline with the axis of the lens holder'39. This being done, the screws Y20r are tightened; The usual'method of alignment is -to` set the pattern holder I9 and the lens holder 39 in the same relative position with the starting point preferably on top of the arc of the pattern 22 and the lens 23. The pattern l22 and the lens 23 must both be on axis at -all times, that is; each must be in a corresponding position to the other during the cuttingloperation. The glass lens 23 is then placed .on-.the rubber lens holder 39 and held there manually a few seconds or long'enoughA to pulldownv the lever 48 and lpush the locking sleeve '5I linto the opening 53 provided. Thisforms the lens holder 39 into the shape of a 'suction cup 'and' holds the lens 23 securely in position. Center lines are shown on the rubber lens` holder 39 perpendicular to each other, with a few dots on said lines. This enables the operator to set the lens 23in psition above or below the center or-off center to -the right or left. During this'boperation of placing the lens 23 in position for cutting, the cutting arm 18 is lifted and thrown -into its upper-or cutting position. Manual pressure-is thenV api plied to the cutter arm 10 and tliecranlr4 I3 ismtated `until the., cutter @has 'cut 1the outline-of the lens 23; The cutting .armflojsrthgrlesd and the lever arm 48 and the sleeve 5| are released, permitting the lens to be removed.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a workcarrying drum rotatable about a vertical axis, a resilient diaphragm secured to the upper surface of said drum, means for manually flexing said diaphragm downwardly under said Work and adapted to hold said Work by suction, said means including a lever having one end pivoted in said drum and its opposite end projecting therethrough and having its medial portion underv and connected to said resilient diaphragm, together With means for locking said lever and said diaphragm in the depressed position.

2. In a machine of the class described; having rotatably mounted therein a drum provided with a resilient Work-holding diaphragm, a pattern,

means for rotating said Work-holding diaphragm and said pattern in co-relation with each other, a pivotally mounted tracer arm having one extremity in peripheral contact With said pattern and having its other extremity provided with a cutting mechanism, and a cutter capable of engaging and cutting the work held on and rotated With said diaphragm; means for varying the cutting size of the said Work as compared with said pattern, said means including a mechanism for horizontally adjusting the position of the said drum relative to the said pattern on a center line passing through the centers of both; and the further means of pattern driving and drum driving gears journaled on studs, compensating levers pivotally mounted on said studs, a link connecting said levers and having rotatably mounted thereon pinions forming a gear train engaging each other and each of said gears, means for holding said pattern gear and said Work-driving gear rotatively synchronized with each other, said means consisting of a cam-slot in one of said levers and a pin in the other of said levers, said pin extending through said slot.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a base, a pattern, a rotatable and horizontally movable work carrying drum, a resilient Work-holdingmember on said drum and s cutter arm holder, and a cutter arm hingedly and retractably mounted thereon; a swivel mounted cutter adapted to engage and cut the work by pressure applied normally to the surface of said work.

4. In a machine of the class described, having rotatably mounted thereon a drum provided with a resilient Work-holding diaphragm, a pattern, means for rotating said Workholding diaphragm and said pattern in corelation with each other, a pivotally mounted tracer arm having one extremity in peripheral contact With said pattern and having its other extremity provided with a cutting mechanism, and a cutter capable of engaging and cutting the Work held on and rotated With said diaphragm; means for varying the cutting size of the said Work as compared with said pattern, said means including a mechanism for horizontally adjusting the position of the said drum relative to the said pattern on a center line passing through the centers of both; and

the further means of pattern driving and drum driving gears journaled on studs, compensating levers pivotally mounted on said studs, a link connecting said levers and having rotatably mounted thereon pinions forming a gear train engaging each other and each of said gears, means for holding said pattern gear and said Work-driving gear rotatively synchronized with each other.

5. In a machine of the class described, a base, a rotatable pattern mounted on said base, a drum also revolvably mounted on said base, a resilient Work-holding member on said drum, said Workholding member adapted to hold the Work by a partial vacuum created under said Work by manually pressing said Work on said resilient member; a pantograph arm pivotally mounted on said base, one end of said arm being adapted to contact the periphery of said pattern and having on its opposite end a cutter arm holder, a cutter-arm hingedly and retractably mounted thereon, a swivel-mounted cutter adapted to engage and cut the work by pressure applied manually to the surface of the said Work; means for varying the relative size of the cut Work as compared with the size of the pattern, said means consisting of mechanism for varying the distance between the centers of the pattern and the Work-holding drum, both being driven in opposite directions by a train of gears and compensating levers.

NORMAN SPENCER BALLARD, SR. 

